A glimpse into the life of. . .

             LAURA CANNON 

Laura, right, with The Orange Spot co-owner, Julie.
Photo: ALICE KEENEY PHOTOGRAPHY

It's been a while since the last glimpse, and this one is most definitely worth the wait. 

Of the many wonders (take that word how you will) Facebook provides, one I have appreciated the most is reconnecting with special people from the past. Today I bring you a very dear childhood friend I eventually lost touch with, only to be digitally reunited a few years later.

I went to elementary school with Laura in the little town of Valley City, ND. We, along with another amazing young woman I have also reconnected with in recent years, were inseparable—until we were separated. At the start of seventh grade, I was 30 miles away in Jamestown, Laura was across the country in South Carolina, and our third musketeer was right where we left her. It was heartbreaking, but we moved on, and I eventually slacked pretty bad at the whole keeping in touch thing. 

I'm not the least bit surprised Laura is exactly who and what I pictured at this age: sophisticated, successful and every bit as beautiful inside and out as she was as a child. Always wiser and kinder beyond her years, she was a wonderful example to me when we were young, and she remains so today.

Photo: JONATHAN BONCEK

Her latest endeavor (on top of a full-time day job) has been partnering with a friend to open a coffeehouse: The Orange Spot,which officially opened in June, 2013, in Park Circle, North Charleston, SC. 

Laura's co-owner, Julie, came up with the idea while visiting Thailand, where she fell in love with cha yen, a Thai tea that  has an orange color when poured. She often referred to it as her 'orange spot,' and upon her return to the US, decided to provide an orange spot to everyone. After meeting Laura in 2011, she knew she had found the perfect business partner and friend. Not even two years later, their dream came to life. Read on to learn the joys and challenges of running your own (new) business.

Current job: Sales coordinator at Charleston City Paper and co-owner of The Orange Spot.

First job ever: When I was 13 I began nannying for our neighbors' children. My first "on the books" job was at Starbucks. I started on November 25, and my first task was standing at the pastry counter, putting cranberry bars into bags. We were slammed because of the Thanksgiving Day shoppers.

First job after graduating/first "grown up" job: Lo and behold, I was still at Starbucks after graduating college. My first management job was at a Charleston bed and breakfast named The Governor's House Inn. I was the assistant manager there for about 19 months.

Dream job: Owning a coffeehouse to supplement some sort of writing career. Slowly but surely...
 
What experience did you have that made you confident in your abilities to pursue this? As you might remember, my mom and dad love their coffee! Because of that, I have been brewing it by the pot since I was really young, and as a result feel very comfortable with many of its elements. However, there is a lot to learn about the trade. Even though I have a little over eight years professional experience in this, I intend to continue learning about the craft for a long time.

Photo: JONATHAN BONCEK

What did you have to learn? Opening a small business is no joke! I am sure it is always a challenge, but a recovering economy makes financial funding even more of a hassle. I am fortunate to have a wonderful business partner through this. 

Together, we have learned a lot about the numerous aspects required to run a successful business. This includes everything from managing the social media to crafting the drinks, to planning events and staying as close to the projection numbers (finances) as possible. It is a pursuit of passion; that's what keeps us going!

What was/is the biggest obstacle? Time. Time is always short these days. We said at the beginning that family and friends would remain a priority, so I am thankful to say we try our best to take a day off here or there to spend time with loved ones. (We are also really lucky to have people who come visit!) There is a never-ending list of "to-dos," which makes me extremely thankful for an unlimited caffeine supply.

What has been the biggest reward? Seeing the success of the business in its first year. Hearing the customers' responses to it. It is one of the best feelings I have ever had.

Photo: JONATHAN BONCEK

What makes your coffeehouse unique? Our signature drink comes from Thailand, so that's new and different for a lot of people. We brew it right there at the shop. 

We also have ongoing seasonal creations. With a nice, big herb garden in our backyard, we've been able to do fun things like freshly-squeezed lemonades with basil or mint. Living in Charleston is a great challenge of how to create refreshing, iced drinks that people will love (it is really hot and humid here).

What are your specialties? Our top sellers are the cha yen and cold press coffee (that is a brew method for iced coffee that creates less acidity and more chocolatey notes). We also use a wonderful roaster out of Illinois. Thirty-Thirty Coffee Co. is a micro-roaster that rotates its offerings frequently. They are wonderful! For our cold press we used locally-roasted Coastal Coffee Roasters. Their beans make a delicious drink.

What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing the same career path? Do not go into coffee if you wish to make lots of money. With that said, by all means, go into the coffee business! You will meet the best people, it will be a relatively stress-free environment, and you have the opportunity to create a space that is welcoming and inviting to all walks of life. It is a wonderful thing to be a part of.

When you are 50, what do you want to be able to look back and say about your life right now? I would hope that I seized every opportunity to live and live well without sacrificing time with those I love most. 

Photo: ALICE KEENEY PHOTOGRAPHY

 How do you define success? Success is continually striving to treat each individual you meet with dignity, respect and love. No amount of financial security can give you that kind of peace.

Who has been your biggest influence, professionally or personally, and why? Professionally, my last boss at Starbucks, Raegan Powell, was an inspiration on how to handle the inevitable workplace conflict. Personally, I've got to say that of course, my mother. I've also made a wonderful friend named Nina Flinn. She is in her 80s and lives like she is in her 20s. I want to be like that as I age. She has done it beautifully.

What hobbies and activities do you enjoy in your spare time? I love to come home and walk my dog and think. I enjoy cooking, too. And good food—but who doesn't love that? Writing is always in the back of my mind. I think I'll have to start waking up earlier to accomplish my goals with that.

What is number one on your bucket list? I would love to go live with my husband in a countryside cottage in Ireland for one week.

Favorite ice cream flavor: Ben and Jerry's Creme Brulee. You would love it, Holly! (Oh, I do:)

Thank you, Laura!

 

America, the. . .

Source

It seems as though America the Beautiful has become America the Disaster if you pay attention to any headlines or overhear almost any conversation. We certainly have our share of problems, and I find myself embarrassed, frustrated, baffled or saddened daily by something done or said by one or several of my fellow US citizens. Let's just say there is never a shortage of things to complain about.

I could never in a million years call myself a political expert, so let me just get that out there right now. Sure, I have a few strong opinions on certain topics, but other than that, I don't possess nearly the amount of knowledge I should to speak on many issues (something I'm not proud of). Unfortunately, in addition to that flaw, during any history class I took, I always just memorized whatever facts I needed to get by and sort of left it at that.
 

Last week I had the opportunity to visit Washington DC for the first time, and it was quite a humbling experience to be in our nation's capital learning about (and actually paying attention to) our country's birth and history. 

 
From seeing the actual Declaration of Independence to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall to the spot Martin Luther King, Jr. stood while he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech on the Lincoln Memorial steps, I was overwhelmed with conflicting feelings of awe, sadness, pride, hope, confidence, fear and gratitude.

With this experience fresh in my mind and heart, and Independence Day just two days away, I feel the need to remind myself, and anyone else who needs it, that there will always be something to complain about or be outraged at, no matter where we live. I'm sorry to report the world is run by imperfect humans, and as long as this is the case, there will always be conflict, struggle, and, to be frank, just plain idiots making a lot of unintelligent decisions. 

The good news is we actually have a lot to appreciate and be grateful for living here, and as imperfect humans ourselves, we take way too much for granted.  Our country was founded by fighters, and time and time again, strong, sharp, relentless Americans have stood up and fought for themselves, us and our country, continuing to do so today. We may have hit a few too many stumbling blocks and been too slow to recover from some of them, but we remain united even if we sometimes don't want to be.

Take a moment to think back to the spirit of those who preceded us and to that same spirit that lives in the wonderful people doing both small and large acts of bravery and goodness today. They're out there, I promise, even if the not-so-wonderful actions dominate the news. If each of us ignites a little bit of this spirit within ourselves, we could all play a little part in shaping our country back toward its vision of freedom and justice for all.

10 Things (but starting with 8)

8 - The number of times per day I say "sorry" when I have absolutely no reason to be. Why do so many women do this? Watch this commercial by Pantene, showing how ridiculous it is and why we need to stop! We have nothing to be sorry for, ladies!

Source

7 - The number of days until my next blog post, as I'll be frolicking in the land currently inhabited by my two BFFs. 

6 - The number of times I ate ice cream last week. The majority of my meals were nice and healthy, but ice cream tastes at least 10 times better during the summer, making it that much harder to resist.

Source

5.5 - The number of hours I'll be willing to stand in line for my first Shake Shack experience.

Source

5 - The number of times I laughed per minute watching 22 Jump Street last week.

Source

4 - The number of points the US World Cup team currently has. Good luck on Thursday! You can DO it!

Source

3.5 - The number of weeks until my nephew is due!

3 - The number of times, on average, I wake up during the night–and two of them are usually because Ladle thinks it's fun to yowl as obnoxiously as possible during the early morning hours. No wonder I'm so tired all the time!

Source

2 - The number of weeks until my birthday (plus one day)!

Source

1 - One very good reason to get to know people in your apartment building: so when you're locked out at 12:30 AM, approaching them as a sweaty, blubbering mess begging to be let in, they don't look at you like you're insane and they're a little afraid of you and of letting you inside. Just FYI:)

Happy Tuesday!

Friday Favorites

I love working out at home, but I sometimes get bored with my DVDs, and buying new ones can add up pretty quickly. Enter YouTube.

Uh, yeah, that's been around for how long now? But I have always been turned off by trying to find workouts on YouTube. First of all, there are just so many, making  it overwhelming. It's also hard to know which ones are any good and which ones are just wasting your time.

My desperation for something new finally drove me back a few weeks ago. I'm still trying to wade through everything, but so far I've found five people/channels I really like. They have videos lasting anywhere from five to 50 minutes, so I'm having a lot of fun mixing and matching. Here are the five I'd recommend at this point in time! Enjoy!

1. Fitness Blender, a husband-and-wife team. 

Source

 Easy instructions and different intensity levels. Videos can also be found on their website.

2. Rebecca Louise, an enthusiastic trainer with an awesome British accent.

Source

Check out her personal website here.

3. POPSUGAR, featuring different trainers and offering a lot of variety.

Source

Check out the entire website here.

4. Cassey Ho, demonstrating her "POP Pilates" routines.

Source

Warning: she's a little too enthusiastic, and her voice can be hard to handle. Check out her personal website here.

5. Jessica Smith, a personal trainer with her adorable sidekick, Peanut.

Source

 She gives great direction and offers the right amount of encouragement and enthusiasm without being annoying. Check out her website here.

Happy experimenting!

I'm going back to high school

After attending my sister-in-law's high school graduation a few weeks ago and then featuring my high school English teacher as last week's glimpse, it’s no wonder high school has been on my mind lately.

For some people, thoughts of high school induce nightmares, if not a chilling shudder or two. Other people are forever stuck in their "glory days," unable (or just unwilling) to face reality. For me, I guess it’s a little of both, but also neither?
Overall, I really enjoyed high school, but I definitely have a few memories (and choices) I’d love to erase.

Source

We often hear, “She’s nothing like she was in high school,” meant as a compliment for someone, and for a lot of people, I guess it probably is a good thing. The more I think about it, though, the more I realize I actually wish I was more like my high school self (insert groans of anyone who knew me in high school). Of course, some things are still the same; my personality really hasn’t changed much. But on the other hand, I do hope to have matured a little bit these past eight years or so (no comments necessary).

You’re expected to progress as you get older, which usually means high school is a time to explore different versions of yourself and start to really learn more about you and other people. College is this intensified times 100. Post-college, you know who are: a confident, independent being who has the whole world ahead of her and is going places. At least that’s what we used to believe, right? Well, I never seem to do these things correctly, and as I look back I seem to have regressed in some significant ways. Case in point:
 

*I have always been more chunky than thin. Never fat, but pretty good at carrying around an extra five (or 10) pounds, which doesn’t seem like a lot—unless you’re 5’2”. Did I care in high school? Nope. I wasn’t oblivious to the fact that I was surrounded by plenty of slender and downright skinny people, but that was them, and I was me. 

 *I don’t have an ounce of fashion sense .Never have, and probably never will. Did I care in high school? Of course not. I wore things I loved, whether that meant a glittery, silky, that-doesn’t-belong-anywhere-but-directly-under-a-disco-ball top or cargo pants and a boxy sweatshirt. I loved my clothes and how I looked and felt in them, and that was what mattered.

Uh, hello, it was HOLLYWOOD day. Get it?
No one got it.

 *I have always been generally uncomfortable around people, but in high school I was loud (sometimes obnoxiously so) and talkative–for the most part. Trying new things has never been my forte, but in high school I was involved with a ridiculous amount of things, and I had wonderful experiences and met wonderful people doing so. I also wasn’t afraid of doing anything “too weird.” If I wanted to do something or act a certain way, I did.

To summarize, I was confident. I had many smart, talented and beautiful friends and knew talented people, but I didn’t let that hold me down—again, for the most part. I’ve been plagued by self-esteem issues for as long as I can remember, so it’s not like I didn’t have any confidence struggles. They’ve just gotten much worse.

Things started to change in college. I spent a lot more time comparing my body to others’ (I don’t know how to phrase that without it sounding a little weird, sorry). I realized I didn’t look “as good” as other girls, and thus began my up-and-down, love-hate relationships with food and exercise.

Source

I realized other people had opinions about me and weren’t afraid to share them (with others, at least). I realized a lot of people are a lot smarter, talented, prettier, funnier, more capable, etc. than me. I realized I had more flaws than I was ready to admit. I did become attached to the student newspaper and lived for it, becoming almost over-confident in that respect while also becoming anti-social outside of it and my classes. I forgot my worth in many other  aspects of my life.

You're obviously familiar with the direction my post-college life has taken, as it's the basis for this blog. Upon not reaching goals or milestones I [somewhat naively] planned on reaching and then watching other people attain not only what I was hoping to, but also several other accomplishments I wasn't even aware I needed to achieve, I have shriveled into a little shell where I doubt everything I think, do and say, and keep as many people out as possible.

I'm not sure why I've reacted this way when faced with the doses of reality I've had so far, and I'm not proud either. Could it be the false sense of security we grow accustomed to in our high school and even college communities? Am I just "weaker" than most people? Slower to adjust? Too sensitive? Am I just someone who doesn't know how to function outside of her comfort zone? 

It's probably a combination of all these things, but one thing I finally know for sure it is not is that I'm not good enough.Think of someone you know who always seems to know exactly what to do or say at exactly the right moment, someone you are often envious of or intimidated by because you couldn't possibly compare. She might be brilliant and have a few better ideas than you, a better education than you, she might have better self control, she might just have a better genes than you....but so what? 

Source

I am just as good or worthy as anyone. The catch is that it's just not in all the same ways as others. My differences and character traits might make me weird or awkward or slower in reaching certain goals, but they do not make me unworthy. My high school self knew that, and I'm hoping she can teach me to live that way again.

Friday Favorites

There's nothing quite like a father's love, and for those of us lucky enough to have experienced this, Father's Day is the perfect opportunity to let our dads, grandpas or other father figures to know their examples, wisdom and guidance have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

My dad was blessed with two, and then three sisters, and then three daughters. It may not have felt like such a blessing during a few of the hundreds of tear-filled outbursts that occurred regularly with me and my sisters, but he is certainly a blessing to us. Here are five favorite lessons from him.

1. The value of hard work. I may be pretty lazy sometimes, but any work ethic I do have, I owe to my dad. Growing up on our buffalo ranch, my dad would work hard all day at his day job and then come home and work hard outside and around the house—giving us our share of chores, of course. My dad doesn't give any project he works on less than 100 percent, so the same was (and still is) expected of us. Sure, we had plenty of time for fun and games, but we learned how much sweeter that is after completing a job well done.

The day he became Dr. Wes.

2. The value of education. There wasn't much of an emphasis on education for him in his youth, but as he pushed himself and continued to pursue higher education, it became one of the things he cherishes most, so of course it has always (and still is) been something he reminds us of pretty often. 

3. Doing the right thing—no matter what. My dad lives behind-the-scenes, taking care of all the little things that no one else thinks about to ensure the bigger things can actually happen. I dreaded going to practically any event we were somewhat involved in because I knew we were going to be the last ones to leave since my dad would make sure everything was cleaned up, complete, etc. 

He also lives by sticking to his moral code, even if doing the right thing means doing the most embarrassing, unpopular thing. This was a tough rule to follow sometimes, especially in high school, but what a great lesson to have learned so young.

I'm sure he didn't plan on me becoming quite so cat-obsessed,
but he still built my precious kitties a cat tower
for Christmas!

4. An appreciation for animals/nature. A science nut, my dad never misses an opportunity to educate anyone who will listen (or us as kids even when we weren't listening very well) on anything from why a tree looks the way it does, to why a certain butterfly species is going extinct, to how the new shopping mall we're excited about is hurting the environment. It's been so eye-opening since most people don't think twice about things like this.

5. The importance of family. Growing up, we were all required to attend one another's sporting events, band and choir concerts, and everything in between. Supporting and respecting our family members was an extremely important principle in our home. Friends will come and go, he says, but your family is always there for you. "We're all you've got," he has told me plenty of times, and I really couldn't ask for anything better.

Don't forget to tell your dad, "THANK YOU" this weekend!